Boris Johnson faces first electoral test as polls open in Brecon and Radnorshire by-election August 1, 2019 Boris Johnson faces his first electoral test as Prime Minister today as voters head to the polls in the Brecon and Radnorshire by-election. The by-election in the Welsh seat has been called following a recall petition by residents against the incumbent Tory MP Chris Davies following his submission of a false expenses claim. Read more: [...]
ii view: Lloyds Bank friendless on results day August 1, 2019 by Keith Bowman from interactive investor. Lloyds continues to bear down on costs to offset tough market conditions, but shares have slumped. Half-year results to 30 June 2019 Net income down 2% to £8.82 billion Pre-tax profit down 7% to £2.89 billion Earnings per share down 7% to 2.7p Interim dividend up 5% to 1.12p per share Chief [...]
Sterling tumbles below $1.21 on Fed rate cut and no-deal fears August 1, 2019 Sterling fell against the dollar today in reaction to the US Federal Reserve cutting interest rates last night and continued fears over a no-deal Brexit. Sterling fell below $1.21 today for the first time since January 2017. At the time of writing, sterling had climbed back above $1.21 and was trading at $1.2106. Read more: [...]
UK manufacturing sector ‘suffocating’ as output falls to seven-year low August 1, 2019 The UK’s manufacturing sector is “suffocating” from a poisonous mix of lower global economic growth and Brexit uncertainty, a closely-followed economic measure found today. Production volumes nosedived to a seven-year low in July, IHS Markit’s UK manufacturing purchasing managers’ index (PMI) showed. Meanwhile the sector was stuck in a contraction, with July’s PMI score of [...]
‘Sea of red’: Eurozone manufacturing output sinks to lowest level since 2012 August 1, 2019 Germany deepened the Eurozone’s downturn as confidence in the area’s manufacturing sector hit its lowest level since December 2012 last month, fresh data today revealed. Economists warned the Eurozone was ired in a “sea of red” as Germany’s manufacturing output plunged to an 84-month low and Ireland to a 75-month low. France’s 49.7 measure represented [...]
London Stock Exchange seals $27bn Refinitiv deal in bid to build Bloomberg rival August 1, 2019 London Stock Exchange Group (LSEG) said today it had sealed a deal to buy data business Refinitiv in a transaction worth $27bn (£22.3bn). LSEG is buying the business in an all-share transaction from Thomson Reuters and a consortium led by private equity firm Blackstone which includes an affiliate of Canada Pension Plan Investment Board and [...]
Boris Johnson must change his mind on Heathrow expansion – just like we did August 1, 2019 Boris Johnson has had a busy first week, jetting off around different parts of the country. But closer to his home seat of Uxbridge and South Ruislip, people in our constituencies in west London are hoping that the new Prime Minister will change his mind and listen when it comes to one controversial issue: his [...]
Trump hits out at Fed rates cut July 31, 2019 President Donald Trump renewed his scathing attacks on the US Federal Reserve late this evening after its chair downplayed the chances of a lengthy series of rate cuts. The central bank lowered its main federal funds target rate by 25 basis points (0.25 percentage points) to between two and 2.25 per cent tonight, marking the first time [...]
Sajid Javid unveils extra £2bn to ‘turbo-charge’ no-deal Brexit preparations July 31, 2019 Britain’s new chancellor Sajid Javid has announced an extra £2.1bn of funding to “turbo-charge” preparations for a no-deal Brexit, including money to ensure the “continuity of vital medicines”. Read more: Irish central bank: No-deal Brexit would see growth plummet From the money, £1.1bn will be provided to departments and devolved administrations immediately, while £1bn will [...]
New £300m no-deal Brexit freight plan risks legal delays, experts warn July 31, 2019 A new £300m plan to acquire additional freight services in the event of a no-deal Brexit risks descending into chaos because of the government’s pledge to leave the EU on 31 October, experts have warned. Fears have been raised that the government could be forced into another high risk freight procurement process because of Boris Johnson’s commitment [...]